Paper making



June 16, 1925. 1,541,977

' w. A. LORENZ PAPER MAKING FiledJan. 29, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J72 0672 i071- WZZZZZ/YZ flfararzz;

June 16, 1925.

w. A. LORENZ PAPER MAKING Filed Jan. 29. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z.. i. H...; 2 2 @N" a" v 152067260? am (fl oreizz Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A LORENZ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNO'R TO THE OTAKA FABRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PAPER MAKING.

Application filed January 29, 1921. Serial No. 440,869.

To all whom it may concern Be it known'that I, VVILLIAM A. Loaauz, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements ,in Paper Making, of which the following is a spec-if fication.

This invention relates ,to the manufacture of paper for towels and other purposes, and one of its main objects is to meet the demand for a low-cost towel paper, while producing an article that is attractive and readily vendible, and one having qualities that arehighly desirable in a towel, such as limpness, softness and capability of yielding, while being adapted to rub or absorb the moisture from the skin of the user, without undue liability to crumble when wet. i

In carrying out the present improvements, the pulp which is to be converted into paper is reduced to web form by means commonly employed in a paper-making machine, that is to say, a web of pulp material is produced, and from this a substantial portion of the water is pressed out by rolls. Thereupon the pulp web, still moist, is embossed with a pattern or design, being for this purpose carried over an embossing roll, the moist pulp being pressed by suitable means into the depressions in said embossing roll, so that the pulp web as it leaves said roll is in an embossed condition. The design may be one that is calculated to enhance the attractiveness and salability of the towel. As the web has not reached the condition of finished paper, it is still moist, and therefore relatively soft and plastic, so that it may stretchslightl laterally or longitudinally, or both, in yielding to the embossing action of the machine. The lines of the design, which is preferably of an intricate or involved character, extend largely in a direction across the web, so that it is slightly gathered longitudinally while being stretched laterally. The embossed pulp web then is passed through a drying operation while the web substantially retains its embossed condition, so that the pulp reaches the form of a substantially dry embossed web before it finally reaches the stage of being converted into pa er.

The 11211 operation whereby the pulp is converted into paper, may consist in passing the web between pressure devices, which may be in the form of calendering rolls or burnishing rolls, of which many may be employed, so that the surface of the paper is finished at the same time that the matei'ialof the web is finally compacted or pressed to form the paper. At this operation the emhossings are for the main part ol'iliterate the design. This flattening of the embossed material has the effect of limbering bossed material has the effect of limbering the fiber and the other components. or even of breaking or crushing them, and thereby softening and smoothing the paper and rendering it highly flexible and limp, as well as velvety to the touch. It is believed to be new to employ a stack of caleudering rolls for the purpose of imparting softness and limpness toa dried embossed pulp web while finishing its conversion into paper.

Because of this treatment, the paper is brought to an excellent absorbent condition, thus enhancing its usefulness for towel purposes, etc, inasmuch as a substantial portion of the original embossing remains, this portion forming riflies, which are useful in wiping the water or moisture from the skin of the user. The limbering, breaking and crushing of the components also renders the paper somewhat porous, so that it will readily absorb the moisture. Moreover, owing to the above'disclosed method of manufacturing the paper, it is not unduly liable to crumble while being moistened in use; this characteristic being partly due to the slightly stretchable characteristic of the paper, whereby it is capable of yielding in any direction even though wet, so that it tends to maintain its integrity as a sheet even when roughly handled.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. L

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of an apparatus for making paper according to the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a sectional the same.

Figure 3 represents a portion of a moist pulp web ready to he embossed.

Figure 4 shows the pulp embossed or im: pressed with an intaglio design.

Figure 5 shows the Figure embossed side elevation of material after it has passed through the drying apparatus and lost some of the sharpness of its embossings.

Figure 6 shows the web after it has passed through the stack 'of finishing or calenderlng rolls and been smoothed out thereby, without obliterating the design. Although the embossings are flattened or smoothed out, nevertheless the impressions remain sulficiently clear to be attractive; and the burnishing operation leaves it with a surface which is smooth to the touch.

Figure 7 shows another means for pressing the pulp into the depressions of the embossing roll.

As shown diagrammatically, the paper pulp 10 may be delivered from a receptacle 11, and carried forward in the form of a Web 12 upon a traveling belt 13, being confined thereto by an endless blanket 14; the web being somewhat compacted and deprived of some of its moisture as it travels over said -belt and between pressure rolls 15, 16. It may then advance over an endless traveling belt 17 and between rolls 18, 19, which further compact it and deprive 1t of more moisture. Its appearance is indicated at 19%.

The paper web is now carried around a roll 20, which has a grooved periphery 21 for the purpose of forcing the material of the web into an intaglio embossing design, whose pattern may be such, for example, as is shown at 22, Figure4, the illustrated design being of a diamond pattern formed by intersecting helical curves, although any other pattern may be employed Figure 4 shows the embossed condition of the web, but it will be understood that this figure may also represent the configuration of the embossing mold formed on the periphery of the roll 20. For forcing the moistened web into the grooves on the embossing cylinder 20, there may be employed a wide tensioned belt 23, which may be endless, and which may run lover guide rolls 24, 25, 26, 27. This belt preferably holds the web tight against the cylinder, for the major portion of the periphery thereof, so as to press the material into the design efliciently.

While the web (after leaving the embossing roll) is maintained in its'embossed con' dition it is deprived of all or nearly all of its moisture. The drying apparatus may comprise a series of heated I over which the Web is led seriatim', the web being held against these rolls by means of an endless loose or soft belt 31, which runs over idle pulleys 32 between the heating rolls, said pulleys placed at such oints as to permit arge expanses of the we to be held in contact with the heated cylinders. There may also be provided upper cylinders or rolls 33, over which the web may be carried by means of a loose or soft endless belt 34. These rolls 33 may either be heated or operate rolls 28, 29, 30,

simply as idle pulleys over which the web may run in passing from roll 28 to 29 and from 29 to 30. The belts 31, 34 are sufficiently loose to avoid pressing or crushing out the embossing of the web. They may touch the web as lightly as possible consistent with the work of carryin the web around the rolls. By the time the drying operation is concluded, the embossings are found to be preserved in nearly their original condition, as indicated diagrammatically at 35, Figure 5.

The pulp web is now sufliciently dried out to be ready for calendering and burnishing, which operation is performed by a stack of calenderm rolls 36, of which there may be any suitab e numberfas for example six, the embossed web weaving back and forth between the rolls, so as to be subjected to rolling pressure a number of times in this final stage of making paper. These calendering rolls have slight differential surface speeds, and the surfaces of the dry web are therefore burnished. Each roll is delicately adjusted to the next, so as to exert the right amount of pressure on the web. There is thus imparted to the pr0- duct 2. surface which is a eeable to the touch, while the pressure of tie rolls tends to iron the embossings out, without however eliminating the design, which is still seen diagrammatically at 37, Figure 6. The same roll or calender pressure which surfaces the paper, also limbers, crushes and breaks the fibers and other components, to render the paper limber and velvety in the hands of the user. The per may still retain'a small portion of t e stretchable quality which is characteristic of em creased or creped paper, and be slightly stretchable in all directions. After leaving the calender rolls, the, paper may be wound upon a ,roll as shown, or cut up or otherwise handled.

The various rolls may be driven by means of suitable gearing, a portion of which is seen at Figure 1, which is a part-sectional view taken at Figure 2 about the line 11, seen at 38.

At figure 7 is illustrated a method of embossing by means of pressure rolls 39, 40,

seen at opposite sides of the embossing roll 20. The material, after leavin rolls 18, 19, runs around a guide roll 41 and thence at 42 upon a pressure roll39, which forces it into the grooves or depressions in the roll 20. Then the web issubjected to further pressure of the same kind by means of the opposite soft roll 40, whence 1t passes at 43 to the drying apparatus. The rolls 39, 40 may be surfaced with soft rubber or suitable felt 44, all of a quality to press the paper into the depressions of the embossing roll; and because of the capability of yielding, possessed by the moist web, the liability of rupturing the same is minimized or eliminated, thus eater; 3

permitting the embossings to be carried to substantial depth, if desired. These rolls 39,

1 40 may be used as a substitute for the embossing belt 23.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

l. The method of forming a web of pulp, pressing water from the web, embossing the pulp web with a suitable design while still moist, maintaining the embossed condition of the pulp web while finally drying the same into paper, and calendering the dry web to flatten. out the embossings and limbcr the paper.

2. The process of simultaneously stretchingiand embossing a moist pulp web, maintaining the embossings substantially in their original condition while the web is dried to form paper, andlimbering the web and rendering it soft to the touch by ironing out the embossings.

3. The combination of means for producing a pulp web; means for pressing moisture from the pulp web; an embossing cylinder havingan involved design extending around the same, and comprising numerous lines extending crosswise of the web; means for drying the web while substantially preserving the embossing therein, and means for ironing out the embossings to render the paper limp and soft to the touch.

4. The combination of means for producing a pulp web; an embossing cylinder having a suitable design thereon; means for pressing the web into the pattern on the our bossing cylinder to emboss the web, and means to dry the web while preserving the embossings thereon, said pressing means including a device having a yielding surface to force and stretch the material of the web into the crevaces of the embossing cylinder, and means for ironing out the embossings in the dried paper and render the paper limp and soft to the touch.

5. The combination of means for producing a pulp web, means for pressing moisture from the pulp Web, an embossing cylinder having a suitable design thereon, means for pressing the web into the pattern on the embossing cylinder to emboss the web, and means to dry the web while preserving the embossings thereon, said pressing means comprising a belt which holds the web against the cylinder over a substantial portion of the periphery thereof.

6. The combination of means for producing a pulp web, means for pressing moisture from the pulp web, an embossing cylinder, means for pressing the web against the cylinder to cmboss the web, a drying cylinder around which the web is carried while the emhossings thereon are preserved, and calendering or burnishing rolls for ope ating upon the dried embossed web.

'7. The combination of means for producing a pulp web, an embossing cylinder, means for pressing the web against the cylinder to emboss the web, a drying cylinder around which the web is carried while the embossings thereon are preserved, and calender-mg or l'uirmshmg rolls for operating upon the dried embossed web. said calendering rolls having differentiated surface speeds.

8. lhe combination of means for produc ing a pulp web; an embossing cylinder having a suitable design thereon; means for pressing the web into the. pattern on the embossing cylinder to emboss the web, and including adevice having a yielding sur face; means to dry the web while preserving the embossings thereon and including a drying roll and a relatively loose, soft belt for holding the embossed paper against the d rying roll without crushing or pressing out the embossings ot' the web. and a stack of calendcring rolls for ironing out the embossings for imparting softness and limpness to the paper.

9. The combination of means for producing a pulp web: means for pressing some of the moisture out of the web; means for embossing the web and including an embossing cylinder having a design of a character to render the product stretchable both laterally and longitudinally; means for drying the embossed web while maintaining the embossings therein, and means for then irpning out the embossings to render the paper limp and soft to the touch.

WVILLIAM A. LORENZ.

Witnesses LILLIAN M. 'larnon, 1). Manor: SMITH. 

